1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in photography for taking shadowless pictures. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in photography whereby the camera is always maintained below the flash. Most particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in photography whereby the camera flash attachment is mounted on a bracket which may rotate substantially around the center line of the camera lens mounted to the apparatus of the present invention.
2. Description of Related Art
Photographers continually strive to take shadowless pictures, and photography stores and suppliers sell many flash devices that portend to provide lighting to take shadowless pictures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,098 shows a flat, normally horizontal, rectangular mounting base supported manually by a single handle connected at its lower end to the outer end of a leftward extension of the base near the front end of the left edge of said base, said handle normally extending upright, but being pivotably adjustable forwardly relatively to said extension about a transverse horizontal axis. A flash unit supporting arm extends upwardly from the upper end of the handle at a slight inclination relative thereto to within a short distance of a vertical plane containing the optical axis of a camera mounted on said base.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,602 shows a camera bracket having a member with a base portion on which a camera can be detachably secured, and a second portion supporting a pivoting arm which, in turn, rotatably supports a member on which a flash attachment may be detachably connected.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,145 shows an adjustable portable hand-held strobe extender and camera support unit made of detachable and extensible sections in combination with the camera support platform and handle grip means with the top, land, or plane surface connected at the lower end of the extender in one socket of a two-way pan connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,623 shows an apparatus for holding a camera and flash unit so they are separated from one another, including a frame having an upper portion for holding the flash unit and a lower portion for holding the camera, and having a pair of laterally spaced handles near the lower portion. The handles are oriented so they can be held comfortably at slightly below eye-level with the upper arms extending down and braced against the body and the forearms extending upwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,021 shows a camera attachment having an elongated base frame with vertical handles at each end and a camera attachment plate centrally located between the handles. A double parallelogram linkage consisting of a pair of inter-parallel links with the links connected to the upper end of one of the handles, a floating swing link, and an outer pair of pivotable links connected to a clamp ring provides support for a flash unit positioned in the clamp ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,036 shows a support for a camera and a photographic lamp which includes a vertical center section, a horizontal arm extending from the top of the center section to support the lamp, and a pivotal base that supports the camera beneath the lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,967 shows an anatomically-shaped hand-grip assembly having a positive locking adjustment capability relative to a base plate to which a camera may be secured, and a positive locking adjustable flashshoe mounted on the top surface of the grip.
None of the devices shown in the related art provide a camera flash bracket whereby the camera is rotatable between its horizontal and vertical positions about or around the center line of the camera lens, and is lockable in two fixed positions. Thus, those skilled in the art continued to look for a satisfactory solution for taking shadowless pictures.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the aforementioned devices and offers the high degree of positioning flexibility that is needed to satisfactorily accomplish the task of taking shadowless pictures.